FOR those at the forefront of gathering data in the sheep and wool industry the timing is ideal to celebrate some good management decisions over the years.
From sheep and wool classing right through to pregnancy scanning, management advisors, and livestock agents there is a chain of professions in the industry that all help to make things tick over.
There have been reports on the record prime lamb prices at a sale-yard level, and while wool values have struggled in recent times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there are still positives.
Elise Bowen is one of the people who is at the forefront of assessing the commercial information from this industry.
She is principal of Sheep Data Management and has lived in Wagga since 2016.
Growing up on a family property at York, Western Australia provided the foundations for a keen interest in agriculture. While the Riverina is home, Miss Bowen travels Australia wide to work in the sheep and wool industry.
Her role can take her across to Western Australia, throughout South Australia, Victoria, Tasmania, and Queensland, as well as the local area.
In recent times there has been plenty of opportunities to share the highlights occurring at a producer level in the sheep and wool industry.
"I always get a kick from a random phone call, or an email via the contact form on my website," she said.
The communication may come from someone who has visited the social media page or it might be some feedback from a client.
"I get such positive feedback from my clients, and a referral is one of the greatest compliments," she said.
Being able to make a difference is something that really matters to Miss Bowen.
"If I am able to make a difference to the business of one of my clients ... then they make me feel like a valued part of their team," she said.
This week many of her clients were happy to talk about widespread and timely rain which had fallen throughout the Riverina and southern NSW.
"My clients have received some very welcome rain in the last week or two," she said.
"It was perfect timing, it lines up their pasture growth with nutritional demands of their late-pregnancy or lambing ewes," she said.
"We are all hoping for continued rain throughout winter, and more importantly a convincing spring, which we have not seen in the last three years."
With lots of reports from throughout the district regarding high percentages recorded during pregnancy scanning Miss Bowen said she enjoyed watching people continually strive to improve their flocks.
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Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
Rural journalist with Fairfax media based in the Riverina.
